7 Apr 2013

English Boys vs French Boys

Usually the first question I get asked is
"so have you found yourself a French boyfriend yet?" I respond
with that awkward smile and shake of the head as I furrow my eyebrows and say
something like "meh, not really a fan of French men. I prefer
English ones!"

French men too seem to be startled when I explain
that I'm single (I'd like to take that as a compliment, but in reality that's
not what they're aiming for!) It's like I'm a new sort of species, like
there must be something really wrong with me for being 'single' and they always
seem to respond with "but why?", as if I need to justify myself.
The phrase "I just haven't met anyone I want to date yet" apparently
isn't a good enough excuse. As far as they're concerned, I should have a
boyfriend, period.

I always thought having a boyfriend meant that
you were 'exclusive'. Anything 'extra' was considered grossly
inappropriate and you would quite easily get the reputation of being a 'whore'
or 'slag' if you were caught cheating, or in some cases flirting, with another
man. That was until I came to France. "Married, you say?
Makes no difference to me!"

In the UK, girls are persuading men to make
things 'official' or as I like to say - 'o-fish' - whereas here I've noticed
that men are usually the ones desperate to tie the dating knot after a matter
of seconds. In my experience thus far, a simple drink in a bar for a
Frenchman means "you need to meet my Mother". OK, maybe that's
a slight exaggeration but there's something very forward about French men when
it comes to dating. And lest you absentmindedly forget to reply to a
Frenchman's text within about 3 hours...you better start coming up with some
fabulous excuses because your little games of "playing hard to get",
"the chase", and "play 'em mean, keep 'em keen" don't go
down so well with the French. It's all, or nothing.

British journalist Samantha Brick, who is married
to a Frenchman, has this to say:

"If you are normally laid back about
dating, prepare to change your ways. There is a reason that a 'crime of
passion' was recognised as a legitimate form of defence in France's courts. The
French thrive on jealously, passionate arguments, bold attestations of love.
Even if that's not your style - you'd better get used to it. Sulking has zero
impact and neither does 'the silent treatment' - if you have a point to make
about a problem in your relationship then make it as loudly and as passionately
as you can. Your French lover will worship you even more for it."

Duly noted.

I realise I’ve been rather critical of French men
thus far.I’m sure they’re not all so
bad, but I enjoy telling tales so I will enlighten you:

An interesting encounter with a Frenchman on the
night bus (first and last time I've ever taken it), resulted in him putting his
slimey arm around me and 'accidentally' touching my breasts. He then
asked if I'd be his girlfriend. Naturally, I said "no".
He said "is it because I'm Muslim?" Actually, frog, it has
something to do with the fact that you're perving on me in a night bus at
3am. And accusing me of bigotry is hardly going to make me declare my
undying love for you.

A few months later I was proposed marriage by
another Frenchman after getting off the metro. Let's just say that the
conversation ended in him asking me when he'd be meeting my parents. My
response: Never.

Another encounter was with a French guy at an
office party who didn't actually work with me so I have no idea how and why he
was there. He told me he was 25, that his mother was a French teacher and
that he could help me with my French. Of course I jumped at the opportunity
because I’d been speaking literally zero French. We met up a week later,
and I noticed his hair was rather on the grey side. After some coaxing,
he admitted he was in fact 35 but he’d lied to me before because he was worried
I’d refuse him if I knew his real age.You bet your bottom dollar!

Anyway, he insisted on buying me lunch in a Thai restaurant
which of course I accepted given that I was pissed off at him for lying about
his age, and I never say no to free food. Before long he was proposing
trips to New York, taking me to film launches and entertaining me on the red
carpet. He kept trying to hold my arm and I kept pushing him away and
gave him light slaps to ward him off. He just wanted to cling to me and
be intimate and I told him it was offensive and we didn't do that in England
with strange men. He was definitely strange.

French waiters are a new species altogether.
The majority of them are cold and heartless, but you get the odd one who has
nothing better to do than flirt outrageously. And when I say
outrageously, I mean outrageously. There's definitely a difference
between harmless flattery and creepy idolatry. I was in a restaurant with
a male friend the other day for Easter Sunday and when it came to paying the
bill, we both got out our bank cards. The waiter looked at my friend in
horror when he realised that he wasn't paying for my meal. Of course I
had to explain that we were "just friends", but the waiter remained
persistent that my friend paid for me too, before I had to spell out that we
were both students which meant we weren’t exactly rolling in cash.He was still flabbergasted so I said “well,
if you’re really that concerned, why don’t YOU pay for my meal?”He took it upon himself to invite me over for
a glass of champagne and dinner that same evening.I said I had to go to church.He then attempted to fit 'going to mass' into
our plans, before I said “thanks, but no thanks”.Oh, and I’m not catholic either.

On Easter Monday, a girlfriend and I decided to
spend all afternoon sitting in a café with a particularly ‘friendly’
waiter.When we first arrived he asked
whether we wanted to have coffee, wine, food…a massage?And now you know why the French are known for
their charm.After a few hours (we were
there a long time!), the waiter came over with a pen and asked me if I have Facebook.He put the pen next to one of our many receipts
and winked at me.I nervously giggled
and looked at my phone.

Where are all the nice French men that I'm supposed to be falling madly in love with? Where's my Mr. Darcé?

5 comments:

I was lucky enough to meet the right man eventually on Globogirls.com, of ALL places. Bizarre. He doesn't even LIKE the internet very much. Anyway, it's not a never-ending cycle of no, sometimes you do get lucky. I've been with my man for two and a half years now and I've been very happy. You just got to keep trying and keep your dating pool fresh.

I am an Englishman living in Nice for the last three years. I really should write a similar article about French girls but it would be short - 'Aloof' 'Cold as ice' and 'Reply to your texts once every 12 hours'!!! (''.)

Hello. I have lived in France for years now (from Lebanon, some of my family lives in France now), and I just think you were overreacting a bit and don't get the irony in the way those French males were teasing.

For having lived in Paris, I perfectly know the night buses are not well frequented, have pick pockets and pervs. Everyone knows that in Paris: take the night bus only in case it's your last recourse. But you should not generalize it to the "French" males. You do it either in bad faith or because you did not stay long enough to discriminate different situations.

Well, I admit waiters are sometimes outrageously flirting, and I've seen male French proposing for marriage. There is a huge load of irony in this seduction game. So, maybe you should just relax. It's the way of being. Nobody cares.

However, for having studied in the UK (and lived there as well), and for having compared, French are not all outrageously flirting, and when they do it, it's always a passionating game. Those folks have been taught the art of love from their moms, generations over generations, and it's true they are good at it.

English men have this incredible charm as well, it's true. So far, I still think French are also very charming + the fun. And dating a French guy makes your life light and everlasting.

Interesting article but I do think also that you got everything wrong on there. Maybe is this something that has to do with the language barrier :). I am french, I'm a girl and let me tell you, French boys are just straightforward and very teasing when it comes to dating. If you come to France, come with an open mind about cultural differences ! What did ypou expect ? did you expect French guys to just react the same as british guys ? I too have changed country, I am working in London now and have been amazed at the way british people tend to be very cold and reserved. Actually I like it, I like the fact that british men are not too forward and take their time in the dating game...there is a shyness to them that is absolutely cute. Also, to generalize the very few experiences you had to a whole people is innacurate. As in any other place, you can meet creepy guys and elegant gentlemen. You had the bad luck to only end up with bad choices, but you do your own luck in this type of thing as in anything else in life ! If you see a good french guy that you fancy, though it is completely in opposition with your culture as you described it...go for it :-)And please do not generalize this way, it is stupid.